Kian's Birth

On Tuesday afternoon, April 13, I was 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I started having several strong contractions, very spaced out. I was glad because although I had had some Braxton-Hicks during the early third trimester, I had them less and less until I wasn't having them at all by 36 weeks. I continued having the contractions all afternoon and through the night, waking up about every hour with the discomfort. 

The next day, April 14, it continued, and I struggled to get comfortable. That night, I tried sleeping in the recliner chair. The contractions continued to wake me up throughout the night, so I called the clinic. Since I did my prenatal care in Wilkes-Barre, they automatically transferred me to the on-call provider at that hospital. I forgot to tell them to connect me to the Scranton hospital (where the midwives are) which is where I planned to give birth. The OB at the Wilkes-Barre hospital asked "what's going on?" and I explained my situation. He replied, "with first-time moms, we like to try to wait until at least 39 or 40 weeks. Try drinking plenty of water and taking 1000 mg of Tylenol, and try to find a comfortable place to rest. If the contractions get stronger and closer together then call us back." I found him to be rather dismissive of what I was feeling. At the same time, many people going through this for the first time think that they are in labor when in fact their early labor is just very drawn out. 

Continuing to wake up with the contractions throughout the early morning of April 15, I called the Scranton hospital this time, and the midwife asked me several questions to gauge how I was doing. She told me I could come in a be checked if that would be make me feel better, and that I could go home if it wasn't active labor yet. I decided to try to wait and see if the contractions would start getting closer together. They didn't, but they were becoming so strong, and I soon vomited all the water I had been drinking. Around 04:00, I called the midwife again and told her I wanted to come in to be checked. I was getting desperate because I couldn't rest anymore and I wanted to know if I was making progress. Around 05:00 we arrived to the triage and when the midwife checked me, I was already 5cm and 100% effaced! (Meaning my cervix was half was to being completely dilated, and it had already thinned out completely). I was very relieved that I was to be admitted and that the baby would be born this day. I was 38 weeks and 4 days, and I had thought all along that I would surely go past my due date, per the usual for my family. 

The hospital unit was beautiful, and I felt very fortunate to be there. The nurses and midwives were very kind and attentive. I told them I wanted to to have the baby without an epidural. They were very supportive of me and helped me with position changes to help the labor progress and help me find the most comfortable positions. Nothing was comfortable, but I found that standing, leaning over the side of the bed was most tolerable and helped my back hurt the least. I also used the TENS unit (per the recommendation of my doula/photographer) on my lower back which helped, but I couldn't use this while the fetal monitor was on. When my legs tired too much, I laid in bed with the peanut ball between my legs. For some reason, I did not like sitting on the yoga ball as I felt like it put too much pressure on the perineal area. 

At some point in the morning my water broke with a large gush, soaking through my clothes. I was glad to see clear fluid. 

When several hours had passed and I only progressed 1cm, I began to feel discouraged. I hadn't slept well for the past 2 nights and I was worried my energy would run out before I the labor was over. They offered me the nitrous oxide to help me cope, but I was so uncomfortable in the bed and the mask or the gas had a scent that I did not like. After only about 2 contractions I didn't want that anymore, though now I wish I had tried to use it longer. They then gave me a dose of Stadol. That put me out and allowed me to rest though contractions for a while. 

Throughout most of the active labor, I was frequently nauseous and vomited a lot. They gave some smelling oils which helped (lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus), and I also got one dose of Zofran. 

As the hours passed, I kept feeling like I needed to push, but with each cervical check I was getting more discouraged that I was only progressing by 1cm... so much time and pain only to be at 7cm... hours later, 8. 

The rest with the Stadol gave me a bit of energy and I was up again, on my knees leaning over the head of the bed. I had to be leaning forward with pressure on my lower back to relieve the pain. The whole time, Kennet was there to offer this support and give me ice chips for my parched mouth.  

At 14:10, 9 hours after arriving to the hospital, I was finally completely dilated, but the baby hadn't moved down much in my pelvis. He was at -1 when I arrived, and had only moved down to 0 by the time I was completely dilated. I pushed for an excruciating 2 and half hours. I tried several positions, including leaning over the head of the bed, squatting in the bed leaning over a support bar, and finally laying back when I didn't have the energy to hold myself up anymore. My contractions never got very close together, so I had long breaks in between pushes, but by the end waiting for the next contraction felt like an eternity. His head came out ever so slowly and I felt as though my body was tearing apart. I do remember asking the midwife if she could just pull him out, which is funny looking back now. In that moment I wanted anything to be done to relieve the pain; it felt like this would never end. 

He was finally born at 16:42, April 15, 2021, at 8 perfect pounds (the exact weight that I was at my birth!). Kian Demesio Silva Haas. The relief and gratitude I felt the moment he was out and laid on my abdomen is something can only be understood by experience. He cried immediately and had beautiful Apgars of 9 and 9! I could not contain my tears of relief and gratefulness to be holding him in my arms

We waited until his placenta was birthed to cut the cord. 

I am very thankful that he had no problems latching to the breast and has been a good eater from day 1! 

My postpartum care was excellent. We stayed 48 hours, and I was so grateful for the continued supply of perineal ice packs, clean pads, and ibuprofen and Colace around the clock. The nurses, midwives, pediatrician, and lactation consultant were very attentive. The nurses helped Kennet change the baby's diaper throughout the day and night. I was so grateful the support, the electric bed, and the meals delivered to us. 

Kennet was a constant support during the entire experience. I love to hear him recount the birth from his perspective; all of this was a first-time experience for him and he has been loving being a dad since the moment Kian was born, and even before while he was still growing inside of me. 

During this time, I began thinking of all the people who birth around the world every day in less-than-ideal circumstances. I thought of those who didn't plan or want to become pregnant, the young girls and teens I cared for in Guatemala. Those who birth alone at home, with no running water or electricity. They don't have medical care, much less any form of treatment for the pain of labor and the recovery. No ice packs, no ibuprofen, no disposable pads, no nipple cream or breastfeeding support, no warm showers, no comfortable nursing bras, no education or provision of contraception postpartum. I had so much discomfort, and am still recovering, almost 2 weeks later. How do people manage without all of theses extra supports that I had? I also thought of all the people who long to have the experience of birthing their own baby but have never been granted this privilege.

I can definitely say that going through this experience has informed me very much and will help me better care for my own patients.